Falling In Love With Your Best Friend (Or Something Like It)
by The Cold and Careful Lady
Summary: Hestia is a proud, cold, girl who loves her close friends dearly. Hunter is a warm, reckless, boy with a temper to rival Mt. Vesuvius. They have been best friends since the age of fourteen, but when he cools down, she defrosts, and they both grow up, they might find out what really is worth it in the world. Rated T for romance, violence, and angst.
1. Chapter 1

It would be an accurate statement to say that Hestia Jones had been having a pleasant summer. That is, until the morning of August 4, 1976. She had spent her days running around the beach near her home, taking self-defense classes, and hanging out with her new friends, Haley and Toria, who were Muggles. The three girls spent the entire summer together, though the two muggles were still unaware of magic.

The Jones Family Estate was located just outside the city of Eastbourne, in Sussex, England. The Wizarding community there numbered few, but that was where the estate always was, and it wasn't going to change. The family also owned a flat in Paris, and a lovely villa near Milan. The main estate however, was spacious, located with a beach to the south, the town behind and to the east, and cliffs to the west.

The Jones's were an old pureblood family that allied strongly with the Light. Hyperion Jones, a former Auror, was the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Apollo, Hestia's older brother by four years, had taken over the political side of his family, standing in at the Wizengamot meetings for his father, who preferred a more active role in the rising war. Hestia's mother Rhea was a socialite through and through, and her rebellious daughter often caused her headaches.

Hestia was quite unlike how she was supposed to be. She knew it was to be required of her to become betrothed at some point during the coming year and that she would be married soon after graduation. Apollo had only escaped his approaching marriage thus far because his betrothed was still in school, a year above Hestia. Mariana Atwood was everything Rhea wished Hestia to be, and Hestia despised Mariana for it. Sadly, the feeling was mutual. Hestia, a quiet girl, was labeled as frigid, cold, and stuck-up by those who did not know here. That was partly Hestia's fault. She was simply unconcerned by those who did not affect her on a daily basis, or potentially could affect her. Also, as she was highly intelligent, her daily manner could be quite frigid, and her tone often came off as condescending to the general public. Once she became friends with someone, however, Hestia was a vibrant girl, who was warm and caring.

* * *

That morning, Hestia was roused early by her house elf, Gigi, because visitors were at the door. Glancing at the clock, Hestia groaned. It was six thirty in the morning, and her parents had wanted to sleep. They had just come home late the previous night from a week at the villa, so the fact that it was she and not them being awakened was not all that unusual. The strange part was the fact that it was so early.

Throwing on a dressing gown, Hestia was thankful for the braid that she slept in at night, as her auburn hair wasn't as knotted as it normally would be. As she made her way through the quiet halls of the manor, anticipation crept into the pit of her stomach. Visitors this early could not be a good omen at all. Finally arriving in the sitting room, Hestia noticed that the visitors were Aurors, and familiar faces at that. No, this was certainly not good news.

"Please, sit." She gestured as she walked in, taking a seat herself. "What brings you here at this hour?" Auror Moody, her father's old combat partner, nodded sharply at the young girl. He took a seat on the sofa across from Hestia, while the other Aurors stood. "My parents should be down momentarily," Hestia said to the group. "I do hope that this is not an inconvenience."

Right on cue, Hyperion and Rhea Jones entered the room, both still in dressing gowns.

"Alastor!" Hyperion exclaimed, confused, though glad to see his old friend. "What brings you here at this early hour?"

"Take a seat, Hyperion, Rhea." Moody said gruffly, speaking for the first time.

Hestia watched her parents sit with some alarm. She could tell from the palpable tension in the room that this was not going to be good.

Moody slipped into his formal façade. "I have come to inform you that at 3 o'clock this morning, Apollo Jones was found dead. There was an attac-"

"No!" Hestia shot up, her hands shaking. "No. He was visiting Mariana… He was going to be home this evening. It's not possible… Apollo cannot be dead." She had gone ridiculously pale. "W-what happened?"

"It appears that Heir Jones and Miss Atwood were in a nearby muggle village. It was an entire coincidence that the Death Eaters moved in, and that was it. They were the only magicals in town at that time. We have statements from witnesses that have confirmed that Heir Jones died saving the muggle women and children from on the street, as well as his betrothed. He died a hero, and I offer my condolences." Moody sighed as the family sat, shocked. "Apollo was a good kid."

"I-I need to be alone right now. Excuse me." Hestia stood up quickly and made her way outside. Walking down the pathway, Hestia reached a small cove that had been hers and Apollo's special spot for years. She sat down on a rock and let the raging thoughts finally overtake her mind.

Apollo was dead. Dead. They would have to have a funeral. They were going to bury her older brother. The only person that had really loved her…ever. Apollo had practically raised her, emotionally at least. He was her rock, her foundation. She didn't know what to do without him. Even when she was at school he would always write her, and he came down every Hogsmeade weekend without fail. He was literally the one person that she had thought she couldn't live without. Now…Apollo was gone. And Hestia was still alive.

Life was brutal. Her twenty year old brother had been ripped cruelly from this world. The wind whipped through her ginger hair, tangling it mercilessly.

"WHY DID HE HAVE TO GO?" Hestia shouted to the place that held so many happy memories, tears streaming again down her face. "Why. Why did he have to die..." Wiping the tears away roughly, Hestia steeled her emotions. Apollo had always told her to be strong when it hurt, and to laugh when you wanted to cry. This was one of the times when she needed to act on it. Shaking herself off, Hestia straightened her shoulders. Knowing how her parents handled grief, she was going to be the only one left to handle affairs. She had duties to handle, and those must be taken care of. Turning back towards her home, Hestia adjusted her dressing gown and walked back up the path that she had come down not a quarter of an hour ago.

The manor was not far from the beach, and Hestia reached the interior soon enough. Walking past the sitting room, Hestia asked the Aurors who had remained to wait as she made herself presentable, and then that is exactly what Hestia did. Walking up to her suite, Hestia summoned Gigi.

"Please fetch the appropriate mourning wear, Gigi. I need to change." Hestia intoned in a serious but sad voice. When she reached the suite, the elf and the girl went to work, making Hestia presentable for the task ahead. Smoothing out her black dress and kitten heels, Hestia checked her hair and makeup in the mirror gravely. Approving her appearance, Hestia went out to face the world as the new Heir of the House of Jones.

* * *

**AN: So I've edited this chapter due to some anon complaints. Yes, I realize that it wasn't the most well-written story beforehand. However, this is my 2 AM and on writer's block story, so I often don't do more than one check before posting. Anyways, thanks for reading!**

**-Inky**


	2. Chapter 2

By the time Hestia made her way downstairs, Hyperion and Rhea were not responding well. Appraising the situation, Hestia delegated the elves to discreetly escort them back to their rooms, and they did. Seeing that done, she breathed deeply, and assumed her position as Heir, schooling her features into a cool mask. Gliding gracefully into the sitting room, Hestia faced the Aurors.

"May I view my brother? I need to make funeral arrangements." She spoke with a soft, but firm, tone.

One of the younger Aurors interjected. "Are you sure, Hestia? It could be upse-"

"I am quite sure, thank you." Hestia interjected. "And I would prefer if you would address me as H-heir Jones, or Miss Hestia, thank you very much." All of this was said authoritatively, but calmly. "Now, if I may please see my brother?" Quiet power rolled in waves off of the sixteen year old, and the Aurors scrambled to do exactly as she asked.

* * *

A portkey was provided, and Hestia was taken to the doors outside the morgue at St Mungo's. She sat on the sofa in the waiting room by herself with nothing but her thoughts to console her. There was so much to do. But first, Hestia had to see Apollo.

When they called her back, and an orderly was there to lead the way, the tiny girl couldn't keep her hands from shaking, though that was the only outward sign of grief that Hestia broadcasted. She was very adept at slipping on a mask when the need arose.

Arriving back in the room, Hestia wanted to collapse. After confirming that it was Apollo, Hestia brushed the brown hair back from her brother's forehead, tears slipping down her cheeks and onto Apollo. She then made the funeral arrangements for her forever twenty year old brother before exiting. On her way out of the hospital, a thought rose to the forefront of her mind. Auror Moody had told her that Mariana was at St. Mungo's. Maybe she should go visit…

"Is there a Mariana Atwood here?" Hestia asked the front Mediwitch's station.

"Name?" The bored Mediwitch asked.

"Hestia Jones."

The Mediwitch checked her list, and nodded. "Miss Atwood is in Room 423."

"Thanks." Hestia called over her shoulder as she headed to the lifts.

Once disembarking, Hestia scanned the room numbers until she came upon the correct room. Knocking lightly, a faint, "Come in" sounded and Hestia walked in.

"Mariana. Hello." She said somewhat warmly, as Hestia looked upon the girl who would have been her sister-in-law.

"Hestia. Please, sit." Mariana was a slight girl, tall and thin. She had dark brown hair, and one word to nicely describe her would be slutty. Before the announcement of her betrothal to Apollo was made, the girl had slept through as many boys above fourth year that agreed and still somehow managed to not let her reputation tarnish her social image with the parents.

Hestia sat across from the bed and fixed the other girl with a cordial look. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"As well as one can be expected," The other girl shrugged, "after breaking their leg." A pout was evident on the older girl's face.

"It's been almost two days, Mariana." Hestia used a no-nonsense, matter-of-fact tone. "Good Aurors have gone out there and broken multiple bones and still fought. You fell down stairs while escaping into that basement. You were healed almost as soon as you arrived here, and you've been on multiple pain potions."

"It still hurts." Mariana whined petulantly. She looked upon the younger girl. "Why hasn't Apollo come to visit me?"

Hestia was floored. "Y-you don't know" At the affirming shake of the other girl's head, Hestia breathed in deeply. "You never thought to inquire after him? Apollo was your betrothed!"

"You know as well as I do that it was all arranged. There was no love between us. I thought him of no consequence to me. Why?"

"Apollo's dead." Her blunt tone stunned Mariana, who was shocked at first, but then slipped into relief.

"I offer my condolences, but it is all for the better I suppose. I don't have to marry him now." Mariana was indifferent in her emotions, clearly not caring for what the other girl thought, or even caring about her sensitive emotional state.

"You didn't deserve him. You simply didn't. My brother loved you even though you're more screwed up than the average girl. He loved your flaws and he saw the potential that you had. Apollo _loved_ you, and you go and slander his name like this. You disgust me." Hestia stood up, glaring at the girl ensconced in the hospital robes. "Good day, Miss Atwood." The redhead swiftly departed from Room 423 as fast as her feet could carry her, fuming internally and barely keeping herself together.

Flooing back home, Hestia ran up to her room, the Aurors having had left after taking her to St. Mungo's. Collapsing on the nearest chair, Hestia took deep breaths, the rage flowing down her body like water. She had known that Mariana did not return Apollo's affections; that much had been clear to anyone that saw them together. But she had thought that the girl was at least slightly fond of him, or even tolerant at the very least. Apollo had been so convinced that she would love him one day. They had even been speaking about Mariana the day before he went to go visit her.

* * *

_"Why do you care for her?" Hestia queried as the siblings sat upon the beach. "She's horrid."_

_ "I love her, for one. As for why? Well, I wonder about that myself on occasion. But Mariana has potential. She can be so wonderful, she just need someone to show her that. I've seen how she can be at times and it makes her even more beautiful than she already is. Mariana just doesn't let that side of her show." Apollo shrugged. "But, enough about me. What about you and the younger McLaggen?" His tone turned teasing._

_ "Hunter is a friend, and will most likely see me as just that for forever. That is all you get to know." Hestia smacked the back of Apollo's head._

* * *

The memory of her laid-back brother flooded Hestia's mind, and she roughly shoved the tears away. Hestia walked over to her writing desk with the intention of penning a letter to her dearest friend Hunter but she could not manage to force the words out. Even telling _him_ of the events would be too painful.

* * *

Apollo's funeral was one week after the attack and that morning dawned with a clear and bright sky. Down at the family gravesite, Hestia glared up at the sky that appeared so happy on a day that should be drab. The funeral was large, as befit the family's status, but no one there really cared about her brother. She had seen the Potters of course, and she was on friendly terms with James, but they weren't close. Mrs. Longbottom had payed her condolences, as did the Bones family. Other names swept by Hestia in a blur. Immediately following the funeral, her parents had gone home leaving their sixteen year old to play hostess. All that registered in her mind was the fact that the McLaggens never responded to the invitation. And that broke her heart.

Hestia held her emotions in that day as she faced the world, playing her part to perfection with the simpering politicians and their wives sucked up to her. Everyone at the funeral realized the position that Hestia was in. Her father was often out on the battlefield and had many political enemies. With no end to the war in sight, he would be lucky if he made it five years. Her mother was an only child from a wealthy pureblood line that had died out when Lord Thomson, Hestia's grandfather, passed away, and Hyperion's parents were dead as well. The weight of an esteemed family rested on the small shoulders of a girl.

Like her father, Hestia had never been intended to take the mantle of the family. But when her Uncle Helios died in a Quidditch accident while in school, Hyperion was the next-in-line. History appeared to be mimicking itself with Apollo and Hestia. The only difference seemed to be the fact that Hyperion never took to his role. He preferred a life of action.

As the guests slowing trickled away, Hestia couldn't help but feel lost. There was so much to do, so many responsibilities. People, the estate, things depended on her. She had work to accomplish.

Sitting down on the settee in the main sitting room, Hestia sighed. With all of the things she had to do, one utterly selfish thought kept circling to the forefront of her busy mind.

_'I need Hunter here. I need my best friend.'_

* * *

**AN: This chapter was edited as well. It was the more needy of the two as is... The grammtical errors were abounding. I hope to get chapter three up soon, but it has yet to be written. School has been crazy, between Dual Enrollment and my regular classes, and it's taking up a lot of my time. My Narnia stories also have first priority as is, so yeah...(:**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Inky**


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